Winter Driving Guide

Driving in the winter requires taking a few extra precautions to prevent car accidents. While everyone should try to avoid driving in severely hazardous conditions, there comes a point when you might need to go somewhere on a snowy day. Using this winter guide helps you prepare to safely drive to your destination in any kind of weather.

Plan Your Route Carefully

Navigation systems make it easy to forget the importance of giving your route a quick check to identify serious road hazards. If you’re driving long-distance, then check to see if you might encounter any snow or ice storms on your route.

You can also choose to avoid freeways or to stick to main roads that are more likely to get cleared before backroads through residential neighborhoods. Identifying safe places to stop if you need help is also a good idea when you have no choice but to go out in a storm.

Maintain Your Vehicle

Cold temperatures can impact the air pressure in your tires. Always take the time to check your tires before you drive in the snow and follow the guidelines in the area regarding adding chains or swapping out to winter types. You’ll also want to make sure that your car’s windshield wipers are in good condition. Keeping the fluids filled and maintaining the brakes are also important winter maintenance tasks to handle now.

Reduce Your Speed in Hazardous Conditions

Slowing down can prevent serious skids and slides that could turn into significant accident events. Ideally, you should reduce your speed by around one-third in wet conditions and one-half in the snow. Keep in mind that you’ll need to consider the speed of the other vehicles around you. If you need to drive slower, moving over to the right lane can allow other drivers who choose to go fast to pass.

Increase Your Driving Distance

Giving yourself plenty of time to react to sudden changes as you drive can also prevent accidents. For instance, you might need extra time to stop if your car begins to slide at a red light. Since the best rule of thumb is to make slow, measured movements for braking and accelerating, you’ll feel less tempted to slam on your brakes when you know you have plenty of time to react.

Keep extra distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. Rear-end accidents can result from following too closely, driving too fast for the conditions and reduced visibility due to weather.

Learn How to Safely Handle a Skid

Experiencing a skid can inspire a sense of panic, and preparing beforehand helps you avoid making potentially costly mistakes. If you start to skid, take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction that you are trying to make the front wheels go.

You’ll also want to use different methods for braking based on the type of brakes you have on your car. For standard brakes, doing several gentle pumps on the pedals works best. Alternatively, applying steady pressure to the pedals works for anti-lock braking systems. With this type of brake, you might feel the pedals moving beneath your feet, which is a sign that they are working correctly.

Although this guide will help you avoid most accidents, it’s still important to review what to do if you experience a collision. Make sure to keep the phone number for your insurance company up-to-date and remember to seek legal advice as soon as possible. Remembering to document the events that led up to and occur during the accident will also help you achieve the best possible outcome during winter driving accidents.